Tag: COVID-19

Misinformation as a Risk Factor During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Misinformation has been a risk factor throughout the pandemic, leading to more disease and death from COVID-19. Dr Katrine Wallace (UIC School of Public Health) is an epidemiologist and social media science communicator who debunks misinformation and false claims about COVID-19 and the vaccines. In this talk she discussed the difference between misinformation vs disinformation, the techniques that people use to mislead, why misinformation goes so viral on social media, and how viral misinformation is negatively affecting public health. This webinar was co-sponsored by the Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control and the Region IV Public Health Training Center.

Using UV Light and Hand Sanitizer to Safely Distinct Against SARS-CoV-2

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have become hyper vigilant when it comes to disinfecting and sanitizing items around our workspace, homes, schools, and within healthcare settings. In this podcast, we welcome back Dr. Ziad Kazzi, Professor of Emergency Medicine and Director of the International Fellowship in Medical Toxicology at Emory University and Associate Medical Director of the Southern Regional Disaster Response System, to discuss the use and potential safety risks of two other methods for killing viruses like SARS-CoV-2: UV light and hand sanitizers.

Thank you to our co-sponsors for this podcast, the Alabama Public Health Training Center and the Alabama Department of Public Health.

Scientific Reporting During a Pandemic: A Conversation with Katherine Wu (May 11, 12PM CT)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, media outlets have been tasked with translating complex and evolving scientific data about the nature and risks of SARS-CoV-2 to the public. Journalists in these roles have had to stay up to date with rapidly evolving information, wade through misinformation, scrutinize data, and amplify voices from underrepresented and marginalized communities at unprecedented speed to keep the public informed. In this webinar, Dr. Katherine Wu, a staff writer at The Atlantic, joins us for a conversation about her experience, challenges, and lessons learned while reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic.

This webinar will be held virtually Wednesday, May 11, at 12PM CST.

It is sponsored by the Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control and co-sponsored with the Region IV Public Health Training Center. Register by clicking the button below.

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What Parents Need To Know About The COVID Vaccine For Children Under 5

For many months, parents have been told COVID vaccines for their children under 5 were on the way. But shifting timelines, delays and misinformation have left many parents frustrated and confused. In addition, as COVID restrictions are relaxed, many parents of young children are desperate to know when they can expect a vaccine to be authorized for their young children. To bring some clarity to this conversation, we have invited Dr. Candice Dye, an Associate Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Academic General Pediatrician at Children’s of Alabama, to join us to talk about the latest updates on the COVID vaccine approval for children under 5.

Thank you to our co-sponsor for this podcast, the Alabama Public Health Training Network at the Alabama Department of Public Health a community-based training partner of the Region IV Public Health Training Center.

Climate-Disease Connections: Associations, Processes and Incorporation in Infectious Disease Forecast (May 4, 12pm CT)

In this lecture, Dr. Jeffrey Shaman (Professor, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Director, Climate and Health Program, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health) will explore the relationship between disease systems and the broader effects of climate and weather on human health.

Dr. Shaman is also Faculty Chair of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs at the Columbia Climate School. He studies the survival, transmission and ecology of infectious agents, including the effects of meteorological and hydrological conditions on these processes. His work-to-date has primarily focused on mosquito-borne and respiratory pathogens. He uses mathematical and statistical models to describe, understand and forecast the transmission dynamics of these disease systems, and to investigate the broader effects of climate and weather on human health.

The lecture is sponsored by the Lister Hill Center for Health Policy, Office of Public Health Practice, Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control, and Department of Environmental Health Sciences and will take place from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. on May 4 via Zoom. Participants can register using the button below.

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Infection Prevention: What is it? Can it really help protect us from pathogens? (March 22, 12pm CT)

The Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control Training and Technical Assistance presents “Infection Prevention: What is it? Can it really help protect us from pathogens?”. COVID has reminded us how vulnerable the human race is to pathogens. Infectious disease outbreaks and pandemics are not new. They have helped shape how the human race has evolved and how we live in the world. In this webinar, Mary Duncan, Senior Director of Infection Prevention at the University of Alabama-Birmingham Health System, will explain what infection prevention is and how it can help protect us from infectious diseases. She will review the evolution of infection prevention and explore key infection prevention measures that are used every day. Participants will also be able to identify potential trends in infection prevention and how these may help protect us from another pandemic. This webinar is co-sponsored by Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control Training and Technical Assistance, Region IV Public Health Training Center, and the Deep South Center for Occupational Health and Safety.

This webinar is co-sponsored by Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control Training and Technical Assistance, Region IV Public Health Training Center, and Deep South Center for OH&S .

The Deep South Center for OH&S is an approved provider of continuing education units for nurses by the AL Board of Nursing (Provider ABNP0420 Expiration Date 12/22/2025) and has awarded this program 1.0 contact hours.

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Misinformation as a risk factor during the COVID-19 pandemic (April 26, 12pm CT)

This is a live webinar scheduled for April 26, 2022 at 12PM CT.

Misinformation has been a risk factor throughout the pandemic, leading to more disease and death from COVID-19.  Dr. Katrine Wallace (UIC School of Public Health) is an epidemiologist and social media science communicator who debunks misinformation and false claims about COVID-19 and the vaccines. In this talk, she will discuss the difference between misinformation vs disinformation, the techniques that people use to mislead, why misinformation goes so viral on social media, and how viral misinformation is negatively affecting public health.

This webinar is co-sponsored by Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control Training and Technical Assistance and the Region IV Public Health Training Center.

Register

Difficult Dialogues: Learning effective communication about tough topics (March 10, 12pm CT)

In today’s polarized and increasingly isolated communication landscape it can feel impossible to break through the noise and establish a meaningful dialogue about issues related to the COVID019 pandemic. In this webinar Dr. Adam Brooks from the University of Alabama shares with us the basis for effective communication and how to shift tough topics from a debate to a dialogue.

By the end of this webinar you will be able to:

  • Identify the techniques of effective communication.
  • Break down barriers to arrive at shared understanding.
  • Determine the difference between dialogue and debate.
  • Apply the four steps of active listening.
  • Recognize the barriers put up around complex issues like vaccine.
  • Develop strategies to structure conversations for better outcomes.

This webinar is co-sponsored by Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control Training and Technical Assistance and the Region IV Public Health Training Center.

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Masks and Respirators: What they can do to protect against COVID-19?

Learn more about different types of masks and face coverings, how they protect against infection from COVID-19, and how to select which type of mask to wear from Dr. Claudiu Lungu, Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health. This video was created in partnership between the Alabama Regional Center of Infection Prevention and Control Training and Technical Assistance (ARC IPC) and the Deep South Center for Occupational Health and Safety.

Epidemiology 101: Fundamental Concepts for Understanding the Pandemic (February 24, 12pm CT)

Understanding epidemiologic concepts has been consistently and increasingly important in personal and professional decision-making as the pandemic has continued and all elements of it have evolved. Join Dr. Stella Aslibekyan as she presents several tools to help you read and think critically about pandemic-related news from an epidemiological perspective. The webinar will focus on concepts like herd immunity, vaccine efficacy, and endemic infection, and what they mean for COVID-19 control. There will also be a focus on disentangling correlation from causation.

This webinar is co-sponsored by Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control Training and Technical Assistance, Region IV Public Health Training Center, and Deep South Center for OH&S .

The Deep South Center for OH&S is an approved provider of continuing education units for nurses by the AL Board of Nursing (Provider ABNP0420 Expiration Date 12/22/2025) and has awarded this program 1.0 contact hours.

view the Recording